Machine for and method of filling containers



April 6, 1943. D'. M. M BEAN MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF F ILLINGCONTAINERS Fil ed March 6, 1940 PRESSURE M ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 6,1943 ONT MACHINE FOR AND METHOD OF FILLING C AINER c Douglas M. McBean,Rochester, N. Y., asslgnor to Beech-Nut Packing Company,. Canaioharie,

N. Y., a corporation or New York Application March 6, 1940, Serial No.322,449

5 Claims. (01. 226 -116) T The present invention relates to machines forand method of filling containers. and has special reference to thefilling of tin cans with liquid.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a method of fillingtin cans and other containers in such a manner as to insure that theliquid in the containers when filled is uniformly free of entrained airand-other gases.

Another of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved filling machine that is particularly adapted for use incarrying out my improved method.

The several features of the invention, whereby the above-mentioned andother objects may be attained, will be readily understood from thefollowing description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatical sectional elevation of the upperportion ofmy improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical plan view of the machine; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical sectional elevation of a portion of the canconveying mechanism of the machine with a steam-applying deviceassociated therewith.

My improved method is particularly adapted for use in filling cans 2which may be of the usual tin can type.

The machine comprises a rotatable turret that carries a liquid supplytank 4 mounted upon the.

upper end of a rotating hollow shaft 6. The underside of the tank 4carries a series of canfilling heads I which are of novel construction.The cans may be presented to the filling heads by any suitable andwell-known means such as a belt-conveyor ll having a star-wheel II orother means for successively removing the cans from the belt anddepositing them on vertical reciprocal plungers ll which presents themto the filling heads. As the cans are filled the plungers i4successively lower them from the filling heads and they are redepositedupon the belt conveyor ID by any suitable means such as a guide l5. a

The liquid may be supplied to the tank 4 through a pipe I! which extendsupwardly through the hollow supporting shalt 6 and leads into the bottomof the tank, the liquid being substantially free of entrained air.

A vertical pipe extends through a central aperture in the top oi thetank and has its lower end open and arranged in proximity to the bottomof the tank, and its upper end opens into the lower end of a chamber 22.The upper v secured on the underside of the bottom wall of end of thischamber is connected through a pipe 24 with a suitable vacuum creatingmeans. The upper portion of the chamber 22 ls in communication with thetop *oi' the tank through a pipe 28 which has a back pressure valve 28therein.

Each of the filling heads 8 comprises a block the tank 4 and providedwith a passage or port 30 leading from the interior of the tank. Thefilling head is further provided'with a port 82 in which is secured thelower end of a pipe which leads from the-upper end of the chamber 22.The ports 30 and}! are adapted' to be opened and closed by means'ofvalves :0. The valve for the port 30 has astem 38 which extends upwardlythrough the tank and through a clearance aperture-40 in'the top wall ofthe tank. The valve of the port 32 has a stem 42 which extends upwardlythrough the pipe 34 and through a stufilng box 43 in a horizontal leg 44of the pipe. The upper end of the rod '42 is pivotally connected with anarm 46 which has one end pivotally connected on a depending lug-ll onthe under end of the top wall of the tank, and its other end pivotallyconnected with a rod ill which extends through a clearance aperture 52in the top wall of the tank.

The valve stem or rod 38 and the rod each extends through an aperturein'the upper end wall II 01' a sleeve I8, the rod being secured to thewall of the aperture by soldering or otherwise so as to form an airtightseal. The sleeve 58 has its lower edge welded or soldered to the topwall of the supply tank so 'asto provide'an airtight seal therefor. Eachof the sleeves 56 ismade of fiexible' sheet metal and is provided withcircumierential bellows-like corrugations so as to permit longitudinalexpansion and contraction of the sleeve. With this construction the rods88 and 50 may be moved vertically to open andjclose the valves 38without danger of leakage or air into the supply tank 4,

The upper end of each'of the rods 38 and 50 extends through and issecured in an aperture in the end wall 88 Ma sleeve 60. Each sleeve 80surrounds and is spaced from the associated sleeve 50, and likethesleeve 58 is made of flexible sheet'metal and is provided withcircumferential bellows-like corrugations so as to permit expansion andcontraction of the sleevei- The lower edge of each 01' the sleeves 60 iswelded or soldered to the top wall of the supply tank so as to form -anairtight seal. Within each of the sleeves 8U and'surrounding theassociated sleeve I! is a coiled expansion spring 62 which tends to urgethe rods 3| and 50 upwardly to maintain the valves 36 closed.

Associated with each of the sleeves i is a valve 44 having a pipe 56leading therefrom into the interior of the sleeve 60, a pipe 68 leadingtherefrom into the interior of the supply tank, and a pipe 10 thatis-open to the atmosphere. Each valve 64 is suitably fgrmed so that uponturning the valve the air pipe 10 may be cut oflf and communicationestablished between the pipes 65 and GI so as to permit air to beexhausted from the sleeve 60. When this occurs atmospheric pressurecompresses the sleeve 60 longitudinally against the tension of thespring 62 and thus opens the associated valve 34. Also, the valve may beoperated to shut off communication between the pipes 64 and 44, and opencommunication between the pipes 66 and It so as to permit air to enterthe sleeve 60 and thus permit the spring 82 to close the associatedvalve 36.

In the operation of the machine in accordance with my improved methodwith a temperature 01' substantially 160 degrees F. in the liquid in thesupply tank, I maintain automatically a pressure over the liquid ofapproximately 11" mercury absolute, and maintain a pressure in the flashchamber 22 of 9" absolute. As will be apparent, this difference inpressure in the filler or supply tank 4 and the flash chamber 22 iseffected by means of the back-pressure valve 28. As the pressure tendsto increase in the head space of the tank 4, the back pressure valvewill automatically permit air or vapor to be exhausted into the flashchamber.

As the cans to be filled approach the filling head, they pass beneath asuitable spraying device Ii which sprays steam into the cans and heatsthe cans to a temperature of approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Thecondensate from the steam required to heat the cans from roomtemperature to 200 degrees F. is suflicient so that as the cans pass tothe filling heads a layer of moisture is deposited on the inner sides ofthe cans.

' When a container, such as a tin can, has thus been subjected to thesteam jets and heated, it is positioned with its open end against theunderside of the filling head 8, the edge or the can engaging a gasket12 set into the head so as to form an airtight seal therewith.

when the can is thus applied to the filling head, the valve 54associated with the valve actuating rod 50 is operated to establishcommunication between the interior of the sleeve 60 and 'the supplytank, thus causing the valve 36 of the port 32 to open said port toestablish communication between the port and the vacuum chamber 22.Owing to the temperature of the can and the degree of vacuum thusproduced in the can, the moisture on the wall of the can quicklyvaporizes and passes out through the pipe 34 and into the vacuumchamber, thus effectively exhausting the air from the can.

When the air has thus been exhausted from the can, the valve 38 for theport 30 is open through operation of the associated valve 44, whereuponthe liquid irom the tank 4 quickly flows down into the can and such flowoi the liquid continues until the liquid fills the can and rises adistance into the pipe 34. During this filling operation, owing to thedegree of vacuum in the can, a certain degree of vaporization takesplace as the liquid enters the can and the vapor with any air admittedis drawn up through the pipe 34. Thus during the filling there isaccomplished a deaeration of the liquid due to the boiling thereof as itpasses through the valve of the filler 4 into the can, the pressurewithin the can being maintained slightly below the boiling point of theliquid. when the can has been The valves 54 and 16 may be operated in,

proper timed relation during the operation oi the turret by any suitablemeans connected with the arms 18 secured to the valve stems thereof.

By operation of the machine in accordance with my improved method asabove described, it will be,apparent that when each can is applied to afilling head, the moisture in the heated can is quickly vaporized andtogether with the air is quickly exhausted from the can previously tothe entrance of the liquid into .the can. As the liquid enters the canthe liquid is thoroughly deaerated and degasifled so that when the canis filled the liquid is substantially free of entrained air and othergases.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permitsvarious modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or thescope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The method of filling a container with liquid of the class described,which comprises spraying steam into the open end of the container toheat the wall thereof to a temperature of approximately 200 degreesFahrenheit, permitting the steam to condense on the inner side of thewall of the container, while the container is in such heated conditionclosing the open end thereof, then establishing communication betweenthe upper end oi the container and vacuum creating means to reduce theatmospheric pressure within the container to approximately 9 inchesmercury absolute to cause the moisture therein to vaporize and to beexhausted with the air from the container, whe the air and vapor hasthus been exhauste admitting the liquid into the container at atemperature of approximately degrees F. to cause flashing oi. the liquidas it enters the container, when the container has. been filled with theliquid shutting oif the admission of liquid thereto and shutting oflfthe air and vapor exhaust and then admitting air to the top of thecontainer above the liquid.

2. The method of filling a container with liquid of the classdescribed-which compriss supplying steam into the interior of thecontainer to heat the wall thereof, permitting the steam to condense onthe inner side of the wall of the container, while the container is insuch heated .cond-ition, closing the open end of the container, reducingthe atmospheric pressure within the container to a point to cause themoisture therein to vaporize and to be exhausted with the air from thecontainer, when this has been eiiected admitting the liquid into the topof the container while maintaining the atmospheric .pressure within thecontainer slightly below the boiling point of the liquid so as to causevapor to rise from the liquid and be exhausted from the container, andwhen the container has been filled with the liquid an.

.supply tank, means for supplying lidui'd-'thereto and maintaining thelevel of the liquid a distance below the top of the interior of the tanka flash chamber above the tank, a conduit leading from the bottom of thetank to a point above the upper level of the liquid in the tank, vacuumcreating means leading from the top of the flash chamber for maintaininga predetermined atmospheric pressure within the chamber, meanscomprising a conduit leading from the upper end of the flash chamber toa point in the tank above the level of the liquid therein for reducingthe atmospheric pressure in the tank to a predetermined point above theatmospheric pressurein the chamber, a filling head in communication withthe interiorof the tank adapted to close the open end of the containerwhen the container is applied thereto, controllable means for regulatingthe flow liquid from the filling head into the container when thecontainer is applied to said head, and controllable means forestablishing communication between the upper end of the container andthe upper portion of said flash chamber.

4. In a machine of the class described, a liquid supply tank having adischarge port in the bottom thereof, means for reducing the atmosphericpressure in the tank above the liquid therein, a valve for said port,means for operating the valve to open and close the port comprising arod extending upwardly through an aperture in the *top wall or the tank,a sleeve surrounding said rod and having-an upper end wall provided withan aperture through which said rod extends.

the wall of said sleeve aperture being secured to said rod to provide anair tight seal, the lower edge of said sleeve being secured about saidaperture in the top wall of said tank to provide an airtight seal, andsaid sleeve being made of flexible sheet metal provided withbellows-like corrugations to permit said sleeve to be longitudinallyextended and contracted as the rod is moved longitudinally, to open andclose the valve and means for thus moving the rod.

5. A'structure according to claim 4 in which a second sleeve surroundsthe first sleeve and is provided with an upper end wall which is securedto the upper end of said rod, the lower edge of this sleeve beingsecured to the top wall of the tank to provide an airtight'seal, saidsleeve being made of flexible sheet metal and provided with bellowsfolds to permit longitudinal expansion and contraction of the sleeve,spring means tending to move said rod upwardly, controllable means forestablishing communication between

